Inflation indicator for catheters



June 21, 1949. uz N 2,473,742

INFLATION INDICATOR FOR CATHETERS Filed Dec. 28, 1944 I lNV/IZNTOR BY ATTORN EY Patented June 21,1949 Q ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INFLATION INDICATOR FOR CATHETERS lab. I v v John Auzin, Warwick, R. I.,.as signor,to Davol. Rubber Company, acorporation of Rhode Island I Application December 28, 1944, Serial No. 570,508

' 3 Claims. (01. res-349),},

"The present invention relates to the manuinflated. When the balloon is deflated for any fact ure of surgical appliances, and has particureason the indicator device. also deflates, and let reference to a novel construction for an in- I have provided a change in shape under such flatable balloon type catheter. conditions which becomes immediately visually The principal object of the invention is to pro- 5 evident, and enables the doctor or nurse to take vidan inflatable balloon type catheter with an the necessary corrective measures at once. improved'inflation indication device. Referring. to the drawings, the catheter l "Anotherobject of the invention is to provide has an elongated body portion ll which is proan'inflation inflatable balloon type catheter with vided with a drainage passagewa l2 there. inflation vmmwtol. hi h extends radially through which is in free communication with outwardly from the body portion of the catheter. one ormore drainage eyes Is at the di g i 511d Still" another object of the invention is to M of the catheter and which has a drainage provide 'an inflatable balloon type catheter with outlet l5 at the open end it of th e th t wplu'r'alit b'f inflation indicating elements which An inflatable balloon section ii is located at are circumferentially spaced about the body the distal'end of the body portion of the catheter portion of the catheter. and is Fin-free communication with an inflation With the above and other objects and advanconduit l8, preferably located i th wall tageous features in View," the invention consists the catheter, the inflation conduit havin an of a novelarrangement of parts more fully disinletconnection 19 positioned at the open end closed in the detailed description following, in 20 of" the catheter' as illustrated in Fig. 1. conjunction with the accompanying drawings, Mounted on the catheter body closely adjacent and more specifically defined in the claims apthe inlet connection it? and preferably in conpended thereto. centric relationto the catheter body is a small ,111 the drawings, inflatable indicator device 29 which consists of FigJis aview showing an illustrative catheter a number of inflatable elements 2i, preferably c n t u tio embodying th invention; in the form of hollow propellers, which are spaced Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail thereof showing circumferentially around the body portion of the the preferred form of inflation indicating device, catheter at the inflation conduit inlet end. Each in deflated condition; element is thus an inflatable bag, which has a .Eig. 3; isaside view of Fig.2; 30 narrow neck 22, the neck openings all com- Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the municating with an annular groove 23 in the indicator device in inflated condition; Outer wall of the body portion of the catheter,

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through Fig. 4; and an p 24 being Provided etween the in- Fig. 6 is a detail perspective of the mold for flation conduit and the annular groove. Each forming the indicator device. inflation element is thus in free, independent Catheters of the balloon type are surgically communication with the inflation conduit. applied by positioning the balloon within a body The thickness of the walls for he small incavity and then inflating the balloon to retain dicator elements and their bag or propeller shape the catheter in lace. Since the balloon is usulimits ir expansion when the balloon is inally inflated by filling with a fluid under pressure, at s t t m s s e t e ap serious injury may result if the balloon becomes shown in Fig. 4 when the balloon is vfully defiated during use, or leaks so th t, th inflatpanded, thus providing a clear visual indication. ing fluid enter the body cavity, Ther ha It is preferred to form the inflation indicator heretofore been no way to determine whether as a separate unit on a pp d ee i the balloon is in inflated condition when in use, 6, the mold being dipped in latex or similar and it, has therefore been found desirable to prorubber solution until a suitable thickness is built vicle a catheter of the balloon type with an inup. The dipped indicator device is then leached dlcator to disclose the extent of. inflation of the and cured and is removed from the mold and balloon. trimmed to leave two small flanges 25 which are I accomplish this advantageous result by pro- P fe ably bevelled as indicated at 21, see Fi 2. viding the catheter with a small inflatable in- The catheter body portion having been formed dicator device positioned adjacent the open end in the known manner from latex or the like, with of the catheter, which indicator device becomes the inflatable ballon and its inflation conduit in inflated when the balloon is inflated, and rethe wall of the body portion, the annular gr mains inflated as long as the balloon remains 5 is formed while the latex is uncured, and the connecting opening 24 is cut or opened to communicate the inflation conduit with the groove. The indicator device is then mounted on the body portion as shown in Fig. 5, the parts then being cemented in place to join the indicator device integrally to the catheter body. If desired, the indicator device may be initially partially cured, and then fully curedafter mounting or an additional dip in latex may be given after the assembly mounting.

When using the novel catheter, the doctor or surgeon inserts a syringe or other filling device into the open end of the inlet connection, and forces in a suflicient amount of fluid, usually about 50 cc., allowing a small amount, as 2 'cc., for the indicator device, to inflate the balloon. This provides the balloon with the desired amount of expansion fluid and also expands the indicator device. The inlet connection is then manually gripped, the filling device withdrawn, and a retaining plug of standard type, not-shown, inserted into the open end of the inlet connection to retain the pressure :fluid in place. If the balloon breaks or leaks, the indicator device, which assumes the inflated shape shown in Fig. 4 when inflated, .deflates and assumes the shape shown in Fig. 2, whereupon the doctor or nurse immediately knows that the balloon has become deflated.

While I have disclosed a specific embodiment of my invention, particularly designed for use with an inflatable catheter of the balloon type, it is obvious that the invention may be readily adapted for use with any device having a concealed or inaccessible expansible portion, and that the shape and size of the parts and their relative arrangement may be changed to suit constructions having difierent kinds of expansible portions and-difierent requirements for visible indicators, without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A catheter construction comprising a body portion having a drainage passageway therethrough, the "distal end of the body portion having a drainage eye communicating with the drainage passageway, an inflatable balloon on said body portion adjacent the distal end, an inflation conduit having an inlet connection and communicating with said balloon, and an inflatable indicator device mounted on the body portion at the other end thereof and having a plurality of inflatable elements each communicating with said inflation conduit, whereby said indicator device sections are inflated when the balloon is inflated and are deflated when the balloon is deflated.

2. A catheter construction comprising a body portion having a drainage passageway therethrough, the distal end of the body portion having a drainage eye communicating with the drainage passageway, an inflatable balloon on said body portion adjacent the distal end, an inflation conduit having an inlet connection and communicating with said balloon, and an inflatable indicator device mounted on the body portion at the other end thereof and having a plurality of inflatable elements, said body portion having an annular groove communicating with the inflation conduit and said elements each communicating with the groove, whereby said indicator device sections are inflated when the balloon is inflated and are deflated when the balloon is deflated, said elements extending radially from said body portion.

3. A surgical instrument comprising an elon-. gated tubular body portion having an inflatable balloon at its distal end and which is adapted to be inserted in a body cavity for retention therein, an inflation conduit for supplying pressure fluid to the inflatable balloon, and a plurality of inflatable elements extending outwardly from said body portion in spaced circumferential relation and in free communication with said inflation conduit.

JOHN M. AUZIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 923,303 Shults June 1, 1909 1,922,084 Gerow Aug. 15, 1933 2,173,527 Agayoff Sept. 19, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 61,028 Austria Sept. 10, 1913 

